Life

Shei-pa to host salamander protection center

The Guanwu salamander, an endangered species endemic to northern Taiwan, is being seen again in the wild as a result of ROC government-funded habitat restoration efforts. (Courtesy of Shei-pa National Park)

An educational center showcasing efforts to protect the Guanwu salamander, a critically endangered species endemic to Taiwan, will open April 21 in Shei-pa National Park, the Ministry of Interior announced.

“The facility includes a restored habitat of rocks, plants and flowing streams where many individual salamanders have been spotted, as well as introductions to the rare creature’s appearance and feeding behavior,” park researcher Chen Jia-hong said April 13.

The amphibian, Hynobius fuca, was first observed in the Guanwu area of the park, and lives only in the northern part of the country, the MOI said. It was confirmed as a separate species in 2008, when it was also listed by the Council of Agriculture as critically endangered.

The nocturnal salamander inhabits mountainous areas above 1,300 meters, where pollution and human presence are minimal, according to the MOI Construction and Planning Agency. The restoration project began after much of the salamander’s natural habitat was destroyed by typhoons and landslides in 2004.

Taiwan is the southernmost place in the world where salamanders are found, and all five of its resident species are endemic, he added.

The habitat site has been listed as a restoration project example on the Society for Ecological Restoration International website, the park noted.

Shei-pa National Park is home to 26 endemic species, including the critically endangered Formosan landlocked salmon and Swinhoe’s blue pheasant, according to the MOI. (THN)